A London woman has filed a complaint after being placed on a facial recognition watchlist over a minor dispute at a shop. After an accusation of theft for purchasing paracetamol, she faced embarrassment and anxiety that have severely impacted her ability to shop alone. This incident has raised questions regarding the legality of using CCTV technology and the need for substantial public interest to justify the processing of biometric data, as advocated by privacy campaigners. The woman now struggles with feelings of stress around shopping due to concerns about being flagged again.
She has made a complaint to the Information Commissioner's Office on the grounds that the Data Protection Act requires substantial public interest for lawful biometric data processing.
The technology is used to deter shoplifters by analyzing CCTV footage and alerting staff when a face matches a known offender.
Privacy campaigners argue that such surveillance technologies infringe on the rights of shoppers, raising concerns about the legality of using data without a valid public interest.
Since the incident, the woman has lost confidence to shop alone, feeling anxious about being unfairly treated or accused when entering stores.
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